ered him
a midshipman's berth here, when I first came out, but he refused
it. By what you say, he must be a good officer lost to the
service."

"He would have made a good officer, sir; he has his wits about him
so thoroughly. It was his doing, our keeping the Spanish flag
flying when you came upon us. I had ordered the colours to be run
down, when he suggested our keeping them up, and running boldly in
to Cartagena."

"I suppose you can't spare us a few hands, Captain Lockett?"

"Well, sir, I shall be very short, as it is. You see, I have a
score away in a prize, I have had six killed, and some of the
wounded won't be fit for work, for some time; and I mean to take
these two prizes back with me, to England. They are both valuable,
and I should not get anything like a fair price for them, at
Gibraltar. I don't want to run the risk of their being picked up by
privateers, on the way back, so I shall convoy them; and I
certainly sha'n't have a man too many to fight my guns, when I have
put crews on board them."

"No, I suppose not," the captain said. "Well, I must do without
them, then.

"Now, as I suppose you want to be on your way, I will not detain
you any longer."

Bob was sent for.

"Captain Lockett has been telling me that you were the means of
preventing his getting into a nasty scrape, with that Spanish
man-of-war, Mr. Repton. I consider there is great credit due to
you. It is a pity you didn't come on to my quarterdeck."

"I should not have got the chances then, sir," Bob said.

"Well, no, I don't know that you would, lad; there is something in
that.

"Well, goodbye. I shall write and tell the admiral all about it. I
know he will be glad to hear of your doings."

A few minutes later, the privateer and her prizes were on their way
towards Gibraltar; while the frigate was standing inshore again, to
search for the Spanish ship of war.

Chapter 12: A Rich Prize.

In the evening the wind died away, and the three vessels were
becalmed. Captain Lockett rowed to the polacre, and examined his
prize; and then, taking Bob in his boat, rowed to the barque.

"Well, Joe, have you made out what you have got on board?" the
captain said, when he reached the deck.

"No, sir. Neither of the officers can speak a word of English. I
have opened the hatches, and she is chock-full of hides; but what
there is, underneath, I don't know."

"Come along, Bob, we will overhaul the papers," the captain said
and, go